Rebirth
by the.shrewd.ravenclaw
Summary: In death I found life, life in another form and in another universe. SI OC Naruto.
1. Intro

**Hello everyone. I was inspired after reading Dreaming of Sunshine and decided to take my own spin on SI. From this chapter on, I would like to establish that I, in no way shape or form, own Naruto related, all rights are reserved to Masashi Kishimoto. I also should warn you that in this chapter only, there is a trigger warning. I hope you find this story enjoyable, reviews would be helpful so that I can better this story. Thank you. **

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Falling. Falling.

No, not falling, _drowning_.

I was drowning in my depression. On the outside I appeared like any other average looking nineteen year old girl. I had a few friends, I had a few hobbies, and was even pretty smart. Yet, I wasn't average, not at all.

From my first breath to now, I made horrible choices. I lied for attention because I felt I wasn't interesting. I manipulated others into liking me, befriending me. I hated myself and my compulsive behavior. I tried getting a fresh start, becoming someone new. Someone who I could look at in the mirror and not have twenty harsh criticisms prepared, but I couldn't. I couldn't be that person, not for lack of trying. People found out of course, I was surprised that it took nineteen years. They discovered that I was a manipulative, vindictive liar. Yet, once the truth came out I felt just the smallest bit better, people could finally see me for what I really was. Rebuilding me was impossible, no one would hear me, and no one would see me. I was utterly and completely alone.

So, as I sat on my twin bed in the dark, playing with my bottle of medicine, I made my resolution. I could not live in this life, I was dying every day. Maybe in death I would find solace, in death I could find rebirth.

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Dying wasn't quite what I expected. I felt no more pain when I took the pills that placed me in an eternal slumber. Instead, I was no longer drowning, I was floating. Floating in the middle, the middle of what I'm not completely sure. I felt light, free. Wherever I was, I was bathed in light, surely a sign that I was dead, yet I did not feel hollow, I felt alive.

All of a sudden, the light's crashed into darkness. I could not breathe, or see. I felt I was being pushed, physically moved. Yet, the pushing only lasted for a few moments before I felt myself being cradled. Had I not died? Was I in a hospital? Yet, how could I be cradled so completely with what I felt only two hands?

I began to scream and wail as my emotions bubbled around me, as I came to the realization; I got what I wished for, rebirth.

With the peace of knowing I was not being resuscitated, but reincarnated, I became at peace. I let who I assumed to be medical professionals clean and take care of me whilst I tried to process both the blurs around me, as I could not clearly see what was going on, and my new life.

This was my chance, I wanted to change. I wanted to be a better, first rate version of myself. I had the opportunity to live, live the life I had only imagined.

With that, unbeknownst to me,I was placed in the arms of the lovely Asayo Sarutobi, my new mother.


	2. Chapter 1

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One would think that being trapped inside an infant body, I would be bored out of my mind, yet I wasn't. I found life to be a steady stream of beautiful surprises. Though I could not understand what was happening around me, where I was or even who I was now, I was suddenly crawling out of the darkness of the unknown.

This new chance at life was a blessing that I would cherish. How many people get a re-do button? From this day forward, I promise myself that I will live this life to the fullest. I will make my family proud, and I would take in everything.

Taking in is what I did. Granted it wasn't easy, in my former life I had never been the most patient. It was very humbling having to be totally dependent on the people I assumed to be my parents. I wouldn't know until I could start seeing and comprehending exactly where I was. Though several times I became impatient, I was quiet proud that I was not too fussy of a child. I tried to be very quiet so I would not disturb my parents, only crying if I was hungry or needed to be changed. I feel that if I could understand what they were saying they would be grateful. The not understanding the language was the worst for me. In my past life I loved to read and speak, in fact I was quite accomplished as a bi-lingual speaker in English and French. Was I not comprehending because my brain was that of a newborn? Or was the language of my parents, as I hoped, another language, as it sounded Japanese.

Weeks after I was presumably taken home, I could finally start to see clearer. I could recognize people. A lovely fair skinned woman with warm dark brown eyes and hair to match always came to take care of me. She would hum soft melodies, rock me to her chest and feed me. She was beautiful; I felt that I and I knew this was my mother. Occasionally, a man geared in a green flack jacket would visit me. Perhaps it was my perception as a toddler, but he was a lean, tan skyscraper. His size would have intimidated me, but his kind goofy grin, proud gaze and comically long and spiked dark as night hair drew me to him, my father, Hideaki Sarutobi. When he could he would read me stories from a book, though I could not understand a word he said. I missed him when he had to leave suddenly.

Mostly at night, so I would be the best child I could and not disturb my parents, I played with this funny feeling in my tummy. It seemed as if there were tiny bugs crawling in my skin in every direction trying to tickle me with energy. I had no idea what this energy was, but I continued to experiment with it. I would play with my energy by trying to force it in and out of my body. Sometimes, maybe I imagined it, but I'd see streams of blue oozing from my skin. Though, that was the only thing interesting I could do with my blue energy.

My daily routine of cuddling with my mother was interrupted; however, when I was visited by a fictional character from my past life, the Third Hokage.

I let my baser instincts take hold, I screamed. Actually, it was more like I pitched a fit. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

What the devil was going on? Hiruzen Sarutobi, was a fictional character. There was no possible explanation for my interaction with a fictional character! Was this real, had I lost my mind, Had I in fact not been reborn, but was suffering from a delusion?

Before I realized it, I had screamed my little head off until I was pushed into a land of dreams.

* * *

When I woke up, I was expecting to be strapped to a bed in a hospital. To have someone explain to me my suicide attempt failed.

Instead, a sleeping Hideaki held me in his arms as he sat upright in the chair. My poor father had probably consoled me all through my fit. It was in his tired face that I found my own recognition.

I was in the Naruto universe, I was going to be a _ninja_.

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**Any feedback is helpful, thank you all again. **


	3. Chapter 2

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I was going to be a ninja. I was going to be a destroyer, a murderer, a _liar_. I almost started sobbing again, until I saw the dark shadows under my sleeping father's eyes. I was supposed to be the sweet and quiet little cherub of two months, I'm sure my poor parents were at a loss with my change in attitude. So I would not and could not disturb his peaceful slumber, as it looks like he stayed up all night with me in his arms.

I closed my eyes and tried to count to ten, yet my realization could not go away. I was bound and determined to be the best daughter any one could have, as I never had a family life in my old universe. Yet, I also wanted to be an honest and genuinely virtuous person in this lifetime. What was more important? I remember watching Naruto, and remembered how harsh the life of a shinobi would be. Yet, if I was here I must be here for a reason, my life must have some sense of purpose. So if I was meant to be a shinobi, I would be the best kunoichi I could be. I would learn all that I could, so that I could play the role I was reincarnated for, I would not waste away again. I could be a "good" person in the village, and only lie and cheat if I had to. I mean, Naruto was a good person, yet he could still be an accomplished ninja. Lying wouldn't be the same in this world, as I wouldn't be trying to impress others, but collect and withhold information. With my resolve clear, I decided to open my eyes and assess my current situation.

I stared at my father's features for what seemed like hours, trying to discover who exactly my parents were. It was at least a small comfort that the only reason I couldn't understand the language they spoke was because I did not know Japanese, not that I had lost my intelligence in my reincarnation. But that only left me more frustrated. I knew I did not know Japanese, but if I had seen Naruto, why I could not place my father's tan face, black hair and beard anywhere. It was when my father suddenly opened his dark eyes that comprehension smacked me in the face. My father must be the son of the Third Hokage. It all made sense, his dark hair reminded me of Asuma, the Third Hokage's other son. They had the same eyes, skin and even smile. I was absolutely mortified that my grandfather probably wanted nothing to do with me now. How foolish of me.

My father and I just stared at one another. A small smile played on my infant lips, as I gazed at my father in awe, both of who he was and who it meant I would be. This was a far different life than my last. I was not born into a lowly home, I was given a fresh start at the top of the totem pole. It was confusing, to say the least. I was not a good person, I had ended my life. Shouldn't that mean I would be reincarnated as a tick or flea, maybe a roach? Certainly not a figure of prominence. But, maybe this was who I could be. My father's gentle smile directed toward me halted my thoughts, perhaps it would be better not to overthink this. In that smile I knew he was happy I wasn't giving him hell. He reached his large, tan fingers to brush my face when, on a shear whim of mine, I grasped his index fingers with my hand and giggled. He smiled brightly, I knew I had loving parents.

I was the granddaughter of the Third Hokage, the sister of Konohamaru and… I stopped, and instantly dropped my grip on his finger. My eyes started to tear, causing my father to start shushing me in a panic. I, I don't remember seeing either my mother or father in the anime, only Konohamaru. I cried quietly as I looked at my father, from the time I had spent with my parents they were kind, noble people. Would they die? Would I be an orphan once again? _Alone. _The thought of being alone once again horrified me, as I know what can happen when you are alone for too long.

Arms rocking, my father continued to whisper, what I assumed to be soothing words in Japanese, quietly to me. He went through several tunes for songs. Regardless if he was singing or just speaking melodically, every few moments I would hear a repeated word, Mayu.

My father kept repeating the word Mayu in every melody. It was when my mother came into the room, and my father quietly handed me to my mother that I was faced with a new reality, my name was now Mayu.

Mayu Sarutobi.

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Over the next few months, my infancy became far more exciting as I developed. I still could only play with the blue energy, I now knew to be chakra. While my vision only became clearer and my mind began absorbing the Japanese language. I couldn't vocalize them yet, but I could understand simple sentences. My motor functions were improving rapidly, as I could now slide awkwardly to my parents across the floor, as well as almost sit up on my own.

On my grandfather's second, albeit wary, attempt to see me I crawled happily to him and pulled on his pant leg as cutely as I could. I wanted him to forget about our first encounter. I don't think he forgot about it completely, but to say that I hold a special place with my grandfather wouldn't be too farfetched.

After our second, more successful encounter, my grandfather brought my grandmother who came and watched me when my parents needed to go on missions. My grandmother was always kind, making sure she placed me in her lap delicately when she read books to me. She read me books all of the time, it was wonderful being able to decipher words with my sponge like brain.

While my grandmother was more reserved, my grandfather was quite playful with me now that I didn't shriek at him. He would sometimes crawl with me on the floor. Other times I would be tickled into oblivion. He was always trying to help me with my development.

But that all changed as another month passed, when it was colder. I will never forget that night. As I rested soundly in my cradle, after exhausting myself with playing with my chakra, I awoke when a dark aura breached the confines of my home. I started to wail in fright. I was suffocating, drowning in death and power. I had never, ever, been this scared. I cried, and cried, yet no one came. My parents did not come to my aid.

I was _helpless_.


	4. Chapter 3

It was still dark hours later when my parents' forlorn faces entered my bedroom, I silenced myself immediately. My father picked me up and cradled me in his large arms as large kisses were placed on my forehead. By picking me up I could see the scars, bruises and blood on both of my parents and started to whimper. Not out of fear, but at their violent lifestyle that I would soon adopt as my own. Yet it wasn't the crimson etched into the contour of their faces, or even the dirt embedded into every visible inch of skin, it was the small tears in my father's eyes. A ninja crying could not mean anything good could have happened, anything at all. My mother took me from my father as he started to cry, and as a family we were wrapped in a hug, mourning together, for what I didn't know, but I didn't have to.

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The next day was chaos. My mother and father were garbed in black, yet their faces were darker than the garments they wore. I knew it was bad, when my parents even exchanged my normally violet blanket, made by my grandmother, for a black blanket. It was when my mother quietly picked me up and carried me out the door that I knew I was correct, something horrible had happened last night. Over the view, albeit small view, of my mother's shoulder I saw countless men, women and children garbed in black. This was a funeral procession. The sadness in the air was tangible, so tangible that at any moment I felt it could pour down raining. Yet, as I felt the overwhelming grief in the air I was confused. My parents moved in the opposite direction of the crowd as my mother carried me gently in her arms, as she silently nodded to people passing by. It was when after a few short moments of travel that my family and I stopped. I tried craning my infant neck to see where I was but alas, the limitations of my new body would not allow me to sate my curiosity. Normally I would have tried to wiggle my way out of my forced view of a shoulder and dirt, but today was not the day to push my limits.

My mother quickly placed me in another person's arms while smiling gratefully before both she and my father left in a flurry of black. I looked up and saw the lightest violet eyes. Before being alarmed I was comforted by a small shushing sound from the man that kindly smiled down at me. His long brown hair, kind violet eyes and his headband comforted me. I remember this face, this was Hizashi Hyuga.

Hizashi gently carried me in the nook of his arms, before stopping and opening a sliding wooden door. It was then that I was gently carried and placed in a small wooden crib with another young child. Hizashi smiled down at me, before kissing the young baby boy whom I shared a crib with on the head and taking his leave. After only a few moments the toddler crawled clumsily over me to stare at me. I don't know how long Neji Hyuga and I stared at one another, but I couldn't help but release giggles that sounded like gurgling bubbles. Neji Hyuga was an adorable baby, his brown hair was already down to his ears and his eyes were happier than any I'd seen before. I'm grateful that not going to the funeral meant meeting someone I'd grow up with.

After an hour or so my parents arrived to pick me up with grim faces, only to smile with Hizashi as Neji and I were curled up with one another snoozing. I couldn't help it, all I could do was sleep or play with my chakra, so sleeping with Neji was the safer option. Besides, curiosity certainly makes one sleepy.

In the passing days after what I thought was the funeral, my mother stayed home more often whilst my father was out. This was normal, being born into a family of ninjas established that they would not be there all the time, and least likely together when they could. This knowledge did not alarm me. What did; however, was my grandfather's first visit.

He was alone. Absent from my grandmother. This confused me. It was always my grandmother and grandfather since my initial meeting with my grandfather. His face was even absent, if that made sense, as if he was missing a part of himself. My grandfather had come to visit a week after the funeral procession, or rather to babysit as I felt my mother leave after my grandfather entered our home.

When his weathered and slightly wrinkled hands met my blanket I almost cried at the changed man in front of me. His eyes were resigned. I held it in though, instead I let him pick me up and stare down at me from the crook of his left arm. Looking at my grandfather in his new white robes I was determined to make him smile. So I giggled as cutely as I could and held onto his fingers in a vice grip, and at that moment I knew he would be okay, he smiled.

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**Thank you so much for all of the follows, favorites and reviews. It's truly encouraging to continue my story!**


	5. Chapter 4

Days turned into weeks, and as the time ran right through my fingers, I grew. I was able to roll around and crawl about my parents' house much quicker than my normal turtle-esque pace. I could even sit up on my own! It was odd how I went from not thinking about walking to concluding walking would be one of my greatest challenges. By increasing my mobility I was, in a sense, training myself with goals. Much like my current goal to walk, _'I'll give myself until next week, as I will be walking on my own one way or another_,' I mused to myself. My huge leap in growth wasn't in my mobility, though I was working fairly hard, nor was it my ability with chakra just yet. Instead I was becoming so much more cognizant and knowledgeable. I was actually understanding the gist of the Japanese being spoken around me by various members of my family. I don't know if my mind was submerging into Japanese but as I found Japanese to be easier and easier, English started drifting from my mind slowly. To quell the fear of forgetting the Naruto-verse as I remember it in my past life, I continuously translated and repeated everything regarding this world into Japanese. As I learned, at what I expected to be a rapid rate, my gurgles became strangled syllables as I desperately attempted to speed up my development. I smiled at the memory of my first "word".

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_My father had just come home from a mission looking worse for wear. I had missed his company greatly as my father had to have been gone for weeks. Before my mother could put me in my crib to reunite with my father, I hesitantly and childishly pushed my arms up for my father in a half-hearted attempt to reach him and gurgled "oh-toe" as I tried to say dad in Japanese. _

_I don't think I'll ever forget my father's filthy and somber face as it lit up the entire room. Within seconds my father snatched me from my mother and cooed at me. It was simply amazing how someone could go from being completely exhausted to full of joy._

_My mother's disdainful puff and good natured grumbling steeled my next resolve to learn how to say mother._

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Needless to say my mother was quite smug when I too could call for her. I don't think my father would quite get over the ego trip that he was afforded with my first word. My grandfather, the next week felt very similar and even took to reading to me to help further my vocabulary.

With my mind enhancing great things were happening, I was never bored in my infancy again as I was babbling gibberish to train myself how to speak. Yet, not all marks made by my daily enhancing intelligence were positive. The worst being when I realized that the funeral procession wasn't just anyone's funeral procession, but the ninja who had died protecting the village from the nine-tailed fox attack. My grandmother was one of those who died.

I remember crying incessantly. I did not mean to disturb my parents, or be a burden, yet my childlike body could not restrain my grief. I never stopped clutching my grandmother's violet blanket, not once, when I found out the truth.

After giving myself time to grieve, never out loud again, as to not burden my parents, I made a point to be as sweet and adorable as I possibly could to my grandfather, the now current Hokage. It worked well for me; I feel that we made a strong bond over my desperate attempts to make him happy.

Around this time of consuming grief was I presented the utter horror of teething. Bones popping through your gums are not fun at all, and it annoyed me to no end that no matter what I could get my hands on to chew that the pain wouldn't stop. '_If teething is destroying me I don't even want to imagine what it's like to be stabbed with kunai or shuriken'. _

My Grandfather, even as acting Hokage would come and keep me company or carry me with him to unimportant meetings. At our closeness, I was then presented to my first new challenge, my darling uncle, Asuma Sarutobi.

Grandfather and I were walking from the mission meeting he brought me to, which provided me with an incredibly interesting day. Days like this weren't unusual thought. My Grandfather and I were together more often as both my parents were needed constantly for various missions. At first this upset me greatly, what child doesn't miss their parents? Yet I was slowly beginning to appreciate that my parents weren't off doing nothing, they were out being _heroes_. I say heroes not as the damsel-in-distress saving, dragon slayers, but real life heroes. People who went above and beyond to do extraordinary things for the betterment of the village, their friends and their family. With that in mind, when my Grandfather or even Hizashi Hyuga needed to babysit me, I was grateful and no longer spiteful for the absence of my parents. I found it even cooler when Hizashi would babysit me, as he was my mother's former teammate. Today, on my babysitting adventure with my Grandfather; however, my young body was getting tired from being out and about for so long today. As I was trying to keep up with the various ninja who came through the meetings whilst attempting to read the tale of the First Hokage. The entire time my Grandfather I strolled down the village people would nod and bow respectfully, I was so caught up in their respect for my Grandfather that I didn't realize I passed my house, as we were walking much farther than any other time. By the time we reached our new destination, my grandfather opened a large wooden door and sat me down in front of a teenager on a couch who was ripping a piece of paper and throwing it in the air, only to litter the relatively nice wooden floor.

He had deep tan skin, dark black hair and the same eyes as my Grandfather and father. Yet his scowl was never on my grandfather's or father's face. It was then that I realized this must be the teenage Asuma Sarutobi. I squinted at him as he refused to pay me any mind, and deemed that I was not impressed. _Who was he to be so rude?_ In all of, what I assume to be year and a half of life, I had never seen him, not once. So when he finally _graced _me with his attention he frowned and rather aloofly asked, "Whose baby?"

Before I could blink my Grandfather had picked me up and placed me onto Asuma's lap replying smartly, "Asuma this is Mayu, Mayu Sarutobi. Your niece."

Asuma scoffed, "Hideaki's brat?"

I was internally twitching, _brat_? Fine.

With that I pushed my pudgy infant body up to reach my dearest uncle's hair and pull on it, in an attempt to tell him to mind his manners. Needless to say my Grandfather, albeit as he chuckled, took me back home to tell my mother my rebelliousness.

From what I could gather when my mother finally did get home and heard the story she secretly agreed with my measures for training my uncle. Everything was wonderful.

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**Thank you everyone for all of your reviews, follows and favorites. It is always a wonderful surprise to see them. I've been getting lot's of feedback on adding length to my chapters, and decided to try it out with this filler chapter. Please let me know what you think!**


	6. Chapter 5

**Thank you all again for your reviews, follows and favorites. It truly makes me want to keep continuing my story. **

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Everything was truly wonderful. In the two years and some change that I'd been alive, I was developing at an outrageously quick rate. If I was smarter than I might have toned it down, but I wanted to be the very best, and if that meant growing out of my toddler years quicker than that was what I would do. Still, even at my quick development it felt like the sand dial of time had been tilted to speed up the time. I now had most of most of my teeth and no longer had a purely gummy grin. In addition, my ever expanding Japanese vocabulary, the ability to walk, and embarrassingly enough the ability to use the bathroom on my own kept me busy throughout the day. At night I was still playing with my chakra. Whenever I played with my chakra at night I had to resist giggles, as the warmth flickered throughout my accomplished toddler body gently. My routine was set.

My wonderful parents; however, were a radically different tale. At what I guess was a few months ago, my Grandfather was once again taking me home from a failed bonding attempt with Asuma when my parents brought forth the news. My Mother, in a long red kimono that was very different than her usual ninja garb, had her hand placed delicately over her stomach as my Father beamed in awe. Their smiles faded when they looked at my happy face. Before they could even speak my Grandfather had placed me delicately on the ground and had clapped my Father on the shoulder, before beaming and kissing my mother on the cheek.

"Congratulations are in order Asayo," My Grandfather kindly mumbled as he looked down ate her stomach, "I'm sure this child will be just as special as our little genius over there."

My Mother bowed her head in thanks, but my Father with a small smile padded his way towards me. I tried to express how happy I was in a toothy smile, but my parents' faces of disappointment bothered me. _Were they replacing me?_ I then, quite physically shook my head at the thought; my parents were only concerned with how I would feel about another life in the picture. So I placed my pale and chubby hand on my Father's cheek, whose eyes were trained in concern for my reaction.

"Will we have brother or sister?" I asked. I made sure to smile, as I was generally excited at having, who I assumed to be Konohamaru, join our family.

My adult family practically who were stifled with tension seemed to sigh in relief. "Mother thinks it will be a boy, but I think it will be another pretty girl like you," he half-whispered as he kissed my forehead.

I pouted my lip and shook my head so my shoulder length light brown hair hit him in the face. My parent's faces of alarm were absolutely priceless, "Mom is right, he's a he."

My family chuckled as they all were pleased that I didn't want to annihilate my future sibling, "Maybe you're right, my little genius."

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Awaiting the arrival of Konohamaru was agonizingly slow for me. I had never had siblings before and wanted to be the best sibling I could be. Other than waiting for my newborn brother to arrive, life was pleasant. My Mother, as a pregnant woman, was on temporary leave of duty. It was nice having my mom around all the time, though I must admit I did miss my Grandfather, since as my Mother was home he didn't have to take me to meetings all the time. On a positive note, I did get to see Neji and Hizashi more often, as my Mother tried to have dango with them once a week. I think she wanted me to have a friend so that when I was old enough to meander through the village, I could count on Neji. I can't say I resented these meetings as I genuinely enjoyed Neji's company, I sometimes feel bad that he was almost forced into being my friend, I'm just happy he doesn't seem to mind. When together, he would allow me to mindlessly ramble on about the weather, his shiny long hair and my future little brother, and would just smile. I won't lie and say that having someone who wants you to aimlessly chatter to them wasn't gratifying. In return, he would get me to play hide and seek with him so that he could try and find my chakra. He was not even four years old, and already brilliant.

Yet, as my Mother's stomach grew rounder and rounder my visits to the dango shop were cut short, as my father tried to come home on those days. Every time I'd blink my Father's face seemed to harness more scars, whilst an even darker gleam of sadness resided in his eyes. Today was different though. My Mother had me resting on her lap next to her ever-growing stomach. She had me reading a book as she was taking braids out of my hair when my father came in the door. He had the grimmest look on his face since what I recognized to be the Nine Tails attack. He quickly took me into his arms and pressed me to his chest, before kissing my forehead and placing me on the floor and asking me to go play in my room. This meant he had a dangerous mission, it was his way of saying goodbye without uttering the words.

I smiled up at him, fully confident in his abilities as a ninja, and told him, "See you later Dad, I love you."

I then padded my way to my room, not before throwing my father a wide smile which he always returned.

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That was a month ago, and as my Mother looked like she swallowed a large watermelon that was attempting to burst, she became more worried and worried. I was worried too, but tried to pretend like I didn't notice what was going on so she wouldn't feel the need to explain it to me. It didn't help that she was a mess, I blame her pregnant hormones. She would be happy at one moment and cry that she was forever alone at the next. I tried to console her, but sometimes she just needed some herbal tea and a nap.

It was a normal day, the sun was blazing throughout the land of Konoha, particularly through my windows at home where I was playing with my chakra. My Mother was in the other room so I thought I could practice while she was nesting around the house. She had started cleaning in a frenzy to prepare for the new baby, it was almost comical if she saw a speck of dust the way her eyes would bug out. I wasn't focusing at all when I smelled the scent of fabric singing, and almost cried that I seemed to have burned a hole in my blanket. I sighed in relief when I realized it was only the edge of my pillow, and not my grandmother's blanket.

I picked up practicing sending my chakra to my hands when I heard a low pitch wailing outside my door that sounded absolutely inhuman. I quickly stopped what I was doing to run to the wooden door, and slide it open. I almost wished I hadn't, almost.

My Mother was on the floor, she was the one emitting the wailing sound as she kneeled on the floor crying and clutching her swollen belly. I looked up to see my Grandfather, dressed in his usual Hokage garb, his face was hidden beneath his hat but his shoulders were slumped as he looked down at my mother.

I knew that something bad had happened, but nothing _too_ bad could have happened, could it? It was a bright and sunny day, the birds were chirping and I could hear the older kids of the Ninja Academy's laughter on the street. "_Maybe it was my Mother's hormones again_?" I thought. Yet, I knew that I was trying to pacify my growing panic with false optimism.

So I stumbled over to my mother to be wrapped in the tightest hug I had ever received in any year I had lived, as she cried. I started to cry to, though I wasn't particularly sure what was going on, I was sad for her. She was in so much pain, I could practically _feel _her desperation. So we just stood there and held each other. I allowed my Mother to grieve before I even bothered to ask what had happened.

* * *

Irony. It's almost ironic how the world can be so bright on the outside, how you can feel the sun kiss your face, yet you can be bitterly cold on the inside. While the birds were chirping, and the sun was shining, I could not enjoy this day as this was the day my hero, my Father, Hideaki Sarutobi died.

My Father, died as a hero. He, along with several other Jonin stopped a group of Hidden Cloud Ninja from invading the village. I have never felt so angry when my Grandfather informed us of his cause of death. I would be strong so this could never happen to anyone I loved ever again.

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_My mother had not stopped holding me and crying when, after what seemed like an eternity_,

_"I am sorry Asayo. He was returning from his covert mission when cloud ninja intercepted. The two teams of Jonin commenced battle as the Cloud Ninja had orders to attack the village. The Cloud Ninja responsible are all dead, and…" he paused, I looked up and my grandfather was almost hesitating, "there will be a peace treaty soon."_

_My mother only looked up to glare at the ceiling, muttering only a "good" in response to the news. _

* * *

How could the Sun taunt us with light and warmth when our souls were so cold from the loss of our loved one? The night my Grandmother died I remember it was dark, and the terror and gloom surrounding me was tangible, it left me gasping. Her funeral was similar, it was raining that day. Today is the day of my Father's funeral, yet the sky did not have the decency to mourn with me this time. Instead I was plagued by a rainbow. Tomorrow, would be my third birthday, yet nothing felt right, nothing at all.

I dressed myself in a small black dress prepared for me, not wanting to make my poor Mother do anything extra. She was taking his death far harder than I thought possible. _'Is there a proper way to grieve the loss of the love of your life?'_

I didn't have much time to analyze my mother, as when I looked at her my Grandfather had come to collect us for the funeral. Though I knew he was terribly sad, he still managed to smile at me. When picking me up to give me a hug, he gave me a kiss on the forehead before smiling and stating, "You look just like Biwako, Mayu".

I smiled and pecked him on the cheek before wiggling out of his grasp to put on my sandals. Together we walked in somber silence towards the Konoha Cemetery. I did not look around as I normally would have, instead I cemented myself to only look forward and to never let go of my mother's hand.

When we arrived I saw at least fifty men and women, all dressed in black, all adorned with somber expressions. My grandfather left us to go to the podium with two other elderly people, in his place came my uncle. As Asuma and I looked at one another, we did not start to bicker, we did not start to annoy each other, I just grabbed his hand too, and together, regardless of how silently, we grieved. Neither my Mother, Asuma and I cried, at least not on the outside.

The rainbow was still there as my Grandfather began to speak on the life of Shinobi. I don't know if it was my young attention span, or my sadness that caused me to weave in and out of attention, but some words engraved themselves in my mind.

In his gravest voice my Grandfather said "Every man, woman and child of this village is sacred. In the very depth of our bones as Shinobi of Konoha we must love, fight and sometimes die to protect the village, as so many have done before us. We must not lament their loss. We must praise their undying Will of Fire that saved so many."

With that, I looked up and saw the bright colors of the rainbow and finally understood, I was meant to honor my Father's life, not his death.


	7. Chapter 6

Life without my father was difficult. Though I had a renewed sense of determination, the oppressing aura of sadness was overwhelming in my house. My mother was in a state of constant hysterics. Depression coupled with pregnancy was not a recipe for normalcy. It was as if when her stomach grew, her depression would multiply. At times she would sit in our kitchen and gaze down at her stomach with empty eyes, it was my queue that she needed space. So I would quietly leave my residence, this house was not a home anymore, not without Hideaki, not without my father.

Was this how my parents felt watching me waste away so long ago? I sincerely doubt it, I couldn't imagine them caring. All the same, it was equally pitiful and frustrating watching my mother, the shining light of my former home, diminish into darkness. I had been there before, I had walked a similar path, yet nothing in my three-year-old heart could change how she was feeling. I was not the person that could save her.

Watching my mother, my beautiful mother, sink into depression sent me back to those agonizing times. So I made sure to leave the house when the murky tides tried to strangle me. When I left my house I was always surprised that my solace was found not in my Grandfather the busy Hokage, or my best friend Neji, but in my uncle.

I would find Asuma near the training grounds, a perpetual scowl on his face and a toothpick in his mouth, today was no different. Resting beneath a tree, scowl ever present, I was greeted by a "hnnnn".

And as always, I stamped my little foot and rested my hands on my hips adorned with my elaborate but short lilac yukata. Today was different though. He would train me today.

"What do you want brat?" my uncle would always ask, a bemused expression written in every scowl line of his tanned face.

I puffed indignantly, "Train me Uncle."

Pushing himself up from his position of rest, he immediately landed into a kneeling position in front of me and flicked my forehead. Before getting up he would spit his toothpick at me, and bounce about ten feet away just to taunt me. "A little girl? Learn from me." He would arrogantly boom in peels of fake laughter, "No."

Every day it was the same, "No", "No", "No". Not today.

Today I lunged at my uncle, who in his stupor, was knocked off balance and pushed into the ground. As I rested on top of my uncle, who was rather surprised that he, an elite ninja, was thrown off balance by a three-year-old, I couldn't erase the smugness off of my pale face. I prodded him with my pointy and small fingers. "Listen up, Uncle Asuma. You **will** train me, for some reason you're actually a decent ninja. So you're going to help me whether you like it or not," my voice softened, "You're my only hope right now."

The shock on his face subsided until with a poof I was sitting on a log. I looked up to the tree where my uncle kneeled on a branch with dark eyes and he nodded.

"Why would you, a child, care about strength? Shouldn't you be home playing with your dolls?" Asuma asked seriously, for once not mocking me.

"I'm going to be the strongest kunoichi in the village." I shouted, leaping up into a stance where both of my hands were incredibly high on my hips. "You're going to help me get there!"

Asuma smirked, "You sure are a brat."

I puffed indignantly once again, whilst crossing my arms over my chest and turning my nose upwards, "Look who's talking."

I would later complain about the next month, but I got what I wanted, and that's all that mattered.

We started that very day. Asuma told me, until I could become strong I would need to become fast. "If they can't catch you, they can't hurt you." He explained.

So he made me run around the village. I ran, and ran, I made it around the village once before collapsing in a fit of deep huffs at my feet, trying to suppress the tightness in my chest. I was tired, and sore, but I was happy. I had gotten my way, I had started my training.

* * *

Everyday consisted of this. I would quietly leave my house and go to the training grounds at noon, where my arrogant uncle would await me. After a week of running I was able to make it around the village two times before collapsing. Granted, I couldn't go very fast, but I put in an "A" for effort.

When I did collapse into a fit of sweat and fatigue, Asuma would land with a poof of smoke behind me. After grumbling about how pointless this all was, and how an elite ninja of his status shouldn't be plagued by the ambition of brats he'd take me to get Barbeque.

While at our favorite Barbeque place, I received my child sized chicken kabobs timely whilst my uncle stuffed his face.

"Thank you Asuma," I whispered quietly before eating. He only continued to stuff his face with barbeque, he didn't need to say anything. Training me in his free time was all he needed to.

"Mayu," he drawled, waking me from my thoughts, "That idiot assigned me a mission. I leave for the Land of Waves later," he finished with a scowl.

I knitted my eyebrows in confusion, I couldn't fathom why my Uncle would hate Grandfather so much. He seemed to resent everything Grandfather did. Although I respected Asuma much more than before, I could not respect his disdain for my Grandfather.

I openly glowered at my Uncle, "Asuma. Please, I know you and Grandfather are different shinobi, but, please don't speak of him that way."

Asuma glared down at me, "What do you know you're a child."

"Your father is alive, I don't have to be a grumpy old man like you to know that!" I shouted, unfortunately capturing the attention of a group of very large men and women.

Asuma's glare softened, "Look kid. While I'm gone you'd better not slack off. You'd better be faster by the time I come back."

I looked into his eyes and nodded, "I'll be able to outrun you soon enough."

My uncle openly laughed at me before placing money on the table and scooping me from my seat to rest on his shoulder before speeding away. In a few blurred moments I was right outside my doorstep, which, with no grace, I was plopped down right in front of.

On the ground I glared daggers at my Uncle, "Asuma!?" I shrieked. He only winked before speeding away into the soon-to-set sun.

Brushing the dirt off of my violet shirt and maroon shorts I smiled at where he had left, "What a jerk."

* * *

**Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait. I hope my long update period hasn't driven you away from the story. Thanks for the continued support!  
**


	8. Chapter 7

This morning I practically leaped out of bed. I quickly changed into my lilac shirt and maroon shorts. I then put my light brown hair, which was getting increasingly longer, into ponytail with my lilac ribbon. My Grandfather had given it to me last week.

* * *

_We were in the Hokage's mansion, a place of woods and reds that always demanded my utmost attention. I was on the floor attempting to do push-ups, yes attempting as I had not upper body strength yet, while my Grandfather rifled through his desk as he complained about paperwork. I heard a gasp and I jumped up to look at my Grandfather who was holding a lilac ribbon in his hand. I quickly walked over to him, and grasped onto his arm as he held the ribbon and looked on with awe. He turned his head and smiled at me._

_"Little one, will you have this ribbon? It was your Grandmother, Biwako's, and I think that __**you**__ should be its keeper," My grandfather slowly drawled with a smile, holding out the ribbon ever so gently. _

_I felt my eyes water as I shook my head reverently, 'what an honor,' I mused. I slowly took the ribbon out of his outstretched hand and pulled my light brown hair into a very high ponytail with a bow on top. _

_My Grandfather and I smiled at one another. _

* * *

With my bow daintily placed atop my head I was ready to slip on my maroon sandals and go outside. I quickly made my bed, not leaving a single crease, before leaving my room. I was greeted with my mother. She was sitting in the kitchen with two plates of food set out.

I was rather confused as I had taken to grabbing a fruit in the morning out of the wooden basket my grandfather would bring every week. Today there was miso soup, rice and fish out. Meals reserved only for when my Father was alive.

"Mother, what is all of this?" I quietly questioned as I quietly padded over to stand beside her.

She turned her heavy head and smiled over to me, her dark shadows prominent and her skin a sickly pale. I could see the grease and dirt coating her body, as if she hadn't bother to shower in days. In truth she probably had not, as she was wearing the same black kimono that she had been wearing for the past four days. I tried not to let my sadness for my mother's growing state of depression show, instead I was thrilled that she spoke to me, stating, "I spoke to your grandfather today who informed me of your training, a ninja must eat healthily."

I beamed up at her brightly, excited that she was speaking more words than "yes" and "no". "Thank you Mother," I exclaimed, throwing her a shining smile.

She smiled, ever slightly but still smiled, at me, "Sit down and eat, Mayu."

She then proceeded to eat with me in silence. She had spoken more today than in the past months, it was more than I had hoped, perhaps she would emerge out of her depressive state. The food was absolutely delicious, and fulfilling, a true treat.

She then quietly shooed me out of the house. This morning was absolutely fantastic! My mother had spoken to me, and I had eaten magnificently. I needed to learn how to cook because it was absolutely delicious.

With such a great morning I proceeded to run around the village. I weaved in and out of vendors and villagers quickly and politely, always making sure to bid them a good morning as they laughed at my energy. I had made it around the village three times when I began to feel out of breath, and collapsed in a heap in front of the restaurant Shushuya.

I panted, trying to pull myself back together before I was lifted at arm's length in front of Hizashi Hyuga.

He chuckled at me as a smiled at him, "What on Earth are you doing Little Mayu?" He questioned, before gently placing me back down on the ground.

I would have answered him immediately if it weren't for noticing Neji, my closest and only friend hiding behind his father's legs. Neji, in all of my three years of knowing him had **ever **hidden behind anyone. So, I quickly weaved my way around Hizashi to see what exactly was wrong with my best friend. That was the moment I saw the bandages.

Wrapped around his forehead were bandages and a leather strap. I closed my eyes in pain for my friend, I remembered now that he was from the Side Branch of the Hyuga family, he had been sealed. I couldn't wallow in my sadness for my dearest friend. I opened my eyes to stare into his worried violet eyes and glomped him in a bone crushing hug, making his eyes bulge out of his head as his father who had turned around laughed at us.

"Ma-Mayu?" Neji questioned, gasping for breath before I finally released him from my clutches.

"Neji, why where you hiding? Aren't we best friends?" I questioned while tilting my head to the side, I needed to squash this fear in the bud immediately

He just looked down and paused, "I didn't think you'd like my bandages," he mumbled, not daring to look up.

I just pursed my lips and "hmmphed," before getting back on my metaphorical soapbox. "Neji, it doesn't matter what you wear! Besides, I think it makes you look like your father, a-a mini!"

Both Neji and Hizashi smiled at me, I then politely bowed to Hizashi, "Hyuga-san, I was training. You see I want to be the best kunoichi in the village, and if I don't start now I'll never be able to beat my Uncle in a sparring match."

Hizashi chuckled at me, "How ambitious you are."

Neji only poked me in the shoulder, "May I train with you tomorrow, Mayu?

I only smiled brightly in response, "Of course Neji! We can practice our speed and even work on your Byakugan."

"That sounds wonderful you two. Soon you both will be just like when Asayo and I when we were teammates" Hizashi smiled, quite proud of his son. "Neji, let's walk Mayu to her home, I would love to see how your Mother is doing, Mayu."

So, like little ducklings, Neji and I strolled behind Hizashi with our arms linked as we walked in a happy silence.

* * *

After a nice and relatively silent walk, we reached my house. I quietly led the Hyugas through my home, where my mother was still sitting in her wooden chair at the table, the only difference was the plates were gone, placed haphazardly in the sink.

"Asayo," Hizashi sighed, looking as if he was preparing for battle as he assessed the state of my mother.

I knew that meant the adults wanted to talk, alone, so I grabbed Neji's hand and pulled him into my room.

Neji immediately dropped down to sit criss-cross on my floor. I then leisurely went behind him to kneel, gathering his tresses in my hand, "May I touch your hair, Neji?" I asked politely.

He turned his head to smile up at me, smiling so that his violet gaze turned into crescents, "Mayu, you never have to ask to play with my hair, as you do it all that time."

I would make sure that memory was engrained into my mind forever, even when we grew up, because his hair would only continue to get more luscious.

"I wish I had hair like yours Neji," I whined, as I delicately braided his hair. I could practically feel him roll his eyes at me, "Mayu, you're crazy."

Extending my lips, I pouted, but never stopped touching his hair. "Well, you're the one foolish enough to walk around with crazy."

We both laughed, "A fair point," he mused, as a smile tugged at his lips.

I quickly unbraided his hair, and placed it back into his ponytail. I got up and walked around him, before sitting across from my friend, who was looking at the ground.

I patted his knobby knee, "Neji, are you alright, my friend?" I asked, concerned after what I knew was the cursed seal of the Hyuga clan was branded onto his forehead forever.

He just looked at me thoughtfully, "I think I should be the one asking that," he murmured. I gasped and looked down, Neji and I had both survived early trauma recently, it wasn't fair to ask him a question and not answer when he asked me one that was so familiar.

Thoughts of my father's smile, his laugh, and his ever present gleam made me _almost_ start to weep, but instead I looked at my dearest and only friend and launched myself into his arms. Together we just sat there, two young children huddling against one another, as we silently mourned for our losses.

I pulled myself together after what I guessed to be around ten minutes, and wiped the few tears that had strayed from my glossy eyes from my face, "I will be. Neji, I'm going to be the strongest kunoichi in the village, so that I can protect everyone. So that no one else has to lose a father, a mother, a sister or a brother.

Neji, with wide eyes, just stared at me before smiling, "I'm sure you will, Mayu."

* * *

**Author's Note: Thank you for being wonderful readers! I'm so happy that so many of you have been so kind, and are actually enjoying this story!**


	9. Author's Note

**Dearest Readers:**

**I am sorry to disappoint you with a lack of update and wanted to take the time to write to you. I have not abandoned ****Rebirth****. I have just been struggling to recover after having heart surgery, and haven't been writing up to par. On a positive note, I am currently revamping and writing so that I can do my very best to show you Mayu's persona and world in an articulate way. You should see some of the progress within the next two weeks actually. So thank you for your reviews, follows and continued support, I will keep writing I just had to take a break to set things in order. **

**You are all wonderful, thank you.**

** .Ravenclaw**


	10. Chapter 8

**Thank you to everyone that has wished me a speedy recovery! Seeing your positive thoughts and well wishes were amazing, I truly appreciate it. I hope that this renovated chapter pleases you!**

* * *

Even several hours after Hizashi & Neji left my residence, I couldn't get Neji and his new mark out of my head. Constantly the question of '_how will this change him?' _soared through my mind in unending circles. It was almost selfish really; I didn't want the innocent dreams and smiles of my dearest friend to burn and crash as he plummeted into the darkness of unyielding fate and cynicism. As I lay in bed that night I was consumed with yet another ambition, to keep Neji from the cage of cynicism.

Yesterday's visit with Neji left me with questions but I felt at peace, how unusual that I'm not even four and have my life somewhat together, a feat I wish I could have accomplished in my old life. Then again, had I accomplished restoring my sanity and integrity, I doubt I would be in the world of the shinobi. My daydreams could have continued but today was an important day. Neji and I were going to meet up at the Training Field to help each other become stronger. '_How fortunate was I to be able to train with him?'_ I pondered, as I finished tying up my ponytail make sure to form a perfect bow of violet at the top, and ran to the table where my mother had fish and onigiri out.

I looked at my Mother as she sat pensively across from me, a hand placed on her engorged stomach as she stared in my direction. I honestly couldn't tell if she was looking at me or looking through me to see the past, and better times. As I picked at my delicious fish I stared at her right back, until she shook herself and truly looked at me.

Placing a chopstick full of rice in my mouth, I quickly chewed before deciding to embark on the bold mission of communicating with my mother. "Mother, when is my brother going to be due?"

She rubbed her stomach with slow circles before drawling out, "Within the next month I would think." Her listless eyes never left my face, as she droned out the small answer.

Beaming that she actually spoke more than two words to me, I decided to test my luck again. "Do you still think it will be a boy or a girl, like me?"

She looked at me in my eyes and smirked, emotion on her face was something I was shocked but pleased to see, "Mayu, I don't think there is another child in any of the Lands that are like you."

I tilted my head in confusion, smiling wildly when she choose to elaborate, "To answer your question. I think it will still be a boy, a great, big boy."

I chuckled, if it were the runty Konohamaru then he would not only be a runt, he would be a handful, he would be annoying, kind of like Asuma.

I frowned at the thought, '_Asuma, when will you return, Uncle?'_

Before I knew it my mother had placed a red lunch box in front of me, the once prevalent displays of emotion gone, before patting my head and reminding me that I was going to meet Neji today.

'Neji!' I reached for the lunch box like a flailing beast and sprinted my way to the Training Field, as I shouted an incomprehensible goodbye. The moment I stepped out of the house I wish I had never left, only the thought of seeing Neji kept me from the cool indoors. Yes, it was Summer, but I had never felt a day so exhaustingly searing. The sun was overbearing as in seconds it was beating down on my poor youthful body. Beads of sweat poured like rivers down my skin as I sped through the Village, wishing only to find Neji and perhaps momentary shade.

By the time I rushed to the tree of Training Field 3, Neji was sitting on the roots of the tree, beads of sweat decorated his skin lightly as he laughed at my bedraggled appearance. It must have been quite a sight, I felt like I took a soak in a hot spring from the sweat that drenched my clothes **before** we even began training. Today was going to be a long day, but looking a Neji so happy and unrestrained reminded me that today wouldn't be bad at all, I would become faster and I got to spend the day

"Mayu, you're late," he kindly faux-chastised me, still restraining himself from laughing to hard at my haphazard appearance. _'Well at least he's polite,' I mused. _

"Eh! I am **so** sorry, Neji! I was talking to Mom, I won't, I won't be late again." I heaved, the fatigue from having ran already making me feel unproductive, and disgusting. I hated being late, and could not make this a habit.

Neji smiled, "It's alright Mayu, are you still up for today?" A genuine question as he gazed over my haphazard appearance.

I smiled, pushing myself to stand straight up, forcing myself to forget about fatigue and the fire in my lungs. This would not only help me in the future, it would save my life and the lives of my friends and comrades. "Let's do this Neji."

"Hmph," Neji smirked as he moved to stand beside me, taking my lunch box and placing it on the ground next to his own wooden lunch box. "Let's race."

I smiled, "You will lose," I carefully informed him. It didn't matter that I almost exhausted myself as I pushed past the oppression of the heat, I would not loose.

Together we counted "3-2-1-GO!"

I was on fire and not just from the burning flames of the sun racing down my back, but as I ran around the village I was a wildfire, feeling as if I could destroy anything in my path. Wind whipped my face in currents, but the fact that I was at least several yards in front of Neji soothed the sting. I felt alive as I zipped past the birches and the laurels, strutting proudly in front the villagers who seemed, or at least what I did catch of their blurred images, bemused by my training methods.

We swooped around the village four times before Neji came to a reluctant stop, having pushed his limits. We walked silently to sit at the tree where our lunches were placed on the Training Grounds. As I sat leisurely now in the shade, Neji flopped down in front of me with a huff, passing me my lunch as he began to open his own.

I smiled down at him, sure it felt good to win, but I didn't have to boast, well except to maybe Asuma when he returned, but Neji was my friend, my young friend, so I didn't need to tease him too badly.

I smiled wildly at him as he only frowned and mumbled down to his tomatoes that were packed for him inaudibly. "Good job, Neji. You are so fast!" I complimented, not a false statement, he was faster than when I first began to work on my speed.

He just looked up at my beaming face and continued to frown, "You beat me, plus I'm older than you"

I just shook my head, still keeping my arm outstretched, "Yep. You are. But I've been training for a long time, so it's only fair I won. But," I paused, looking for words to make him feel better without sounding like the older girl that I was, "you are going to get faster. Plus you have those eyes, we can play hide and seek after lunch to practice…if you like?"

Neji beamed, somewhat eased by my words. "Mayu, let's eat."

I nodded, feeling quite hungry after such a workout and opened my own lunch box. I laughed when too pulled out onigiri and tomatoes, "Yep, Mom & your Dad are a great team."

Neji smiled, but then frowned suddenly.

Tilting my head at the sudden change in emotion I too frowned, but in concern, "What's wrong, don't you like tomatoes?"

He just shook his head, "I like this, today was fun. But, I'm getting old" he whined, a deep frown burying itself in his features.

I couldn't stop my laughter, unintentionally offending him. "Oh Neji, you're four, I teased, not understanding why his age was a bad thing.

He scoffed, "Yes Mayu, but soon you'll be four and I'll be five, and then…and then next year I'll be six, and I won't see you, I'll be at the Academy."

I stopped smiling and frowned before smiling, "You're a silly _old_ bird," I laughed as I stuck my tiny tongue out for good measure, "that doesn't matter. That's in like, like, _forever_. Plus, you're my best friend, you are stuck with me, no matter what, even if you do get old!"

He rolled his eyes, no longer was his frown present on his usually joyful little face, and he went back to happily munching on his food. After we both ravaged our food like a horde of Mongols, we both left the solace of the shade and rolled on to our backs to watch the clouds that couldn't be pushed away, even by the demonically hot sun.

While Neji looked up at the sky in contemplative silence, I smiled as I tried to find shapes in the clouds that passed, mumbling on about the cows, fish and even dragons in the sky. It was important to me to announce my findings as my friend lacked my capacity for imagination.

"Mayu, how can you see all that?" Neji whined, unsure of why my mind was so different than his own.

I laughed, "Because silly, you're not opening your eyes."

He grumbled, "They are open, Mayu." Obviously someone was pragmatic at a very young age.

I only laughed, but stopped when he interjected with, "All I see are little puffs set on a current," he muttered indignantly.

I was worried when the feelings of fate would arise in Neji, but was shocked it was so early. I shook my head vehemently, gathering his attention, "No Neji, the clouds aren't forced in a current; they just are what they are."

Before Neji could utter his protest I sat up and grabbed his arms, propelling us up. The flabbergasted look on his face was priceless, "What..."

"Let's play hide and seek," I exclaimed, wanting to desperately distract him from his future fate rant. I forgot how upsetting his destiny rant was in the Narutoverse, and maybe I could stamp it out early. Since my existence was bound to upset the balance of things, I might as well try and do good.

We played three rounds of hide and seek, which at the age of four, Neji utterly destroyed me at. It didn't matter if I hid behind the Sakura trees or behind a tree trunk, he would easily find me, laughing as he did so. '_Well I'm glad he didn't take losing the foot race so _hard', I grumbled on his last find. To be four and have surpassed the basic knowledge of his bloodline was awe-striking.

After feeling truly and utterly exhausted, the heat and all of this exercise made it difficult to stand, I would definitely appreciate my dinner, and shower when I got to call it a day and go home.

"Neji, I've had fun, let's do this tomorrow," I heaved, pushing myself up, "I'll be on time next time."

Neji smiled at me, "Come on, I'll walk you home." So together, we walked side by side, baking in the late afternoon sun as we walked towards my home. Today was a great day.

* * *

Neji and I were quick to establish a training routine. We met every morning at 9:00 at the Training grounds, in the past four weeks I had not been late a single time after the our first training session. Indeed, we would place our lunches down and do our countdown of "3-2-1-GO!" and race off into the sunshine. I could now run 7 laps, even quicker than before, much to Neji's good natured chagrin. While he still couldn't keep up with me, his stamina had definitely improved and he was much faster than before.

Today though we didn't make our now 7 mile laps, we made it only to 4 laps as the sun was glaring down and suffocating us to where was had to find temporary reprieve. It was the hottest day I had ever witnessed in Konoha. Never had the sun been as blazingly bright, the unmanageable heat was worse than the flames of a crematorium. When we sat down for lunch today, Neji couldn't help but puff when I pulled out my bento and he pulled out tomatoes and onigiri, a meal his father had packed him every single day we had trained for the past four weeks.

I giggled at the adorable look of indignation on his face, "Why so glum, Neji?" I asked teasingly, knowing full and well why he was pouting so much.

He grumbled before putting his tomatoes back in his box, "Tomatoes are beginning to taste a lot like pumpkins."

I laughed, "And what would you want?" I asked, before moving to share my bento with him.

"Herring Soba, any day of the week," he exclaimed, before thankfully digging into my bento. Together we munched on in harmony, not once taking a look at the tomatoes.

"So Mayu, when are you going to start working on your chakra?" Neji asked in between bites.

Instead of smiling it was my turn to frown as I remembered I was still waiting for Asuma to return. "I was waiting for Asuma…" I trailed off, thinking of my uncle, sure he was annoying but really did love him, even if I wouldn't tell him that in a million years, it'd be too much for his ego.

Neji tilted his head in confusion as I was submerged in my thoughts. '_What if he doesn't make it back…,"_ I trailed before shaking my head furiously to break my reverie. "_No, if he said he was coming back he's coming back. That idiot can't die, not anytime soon."_

"Sorry Neji, I was just a little worried, I haven't seen my Uncle in weeks," I murmured, looking into his vivid hues that were filled with concern for me. Seeing his sympathy I tried to shake off his concern, it was invalidated, Asuma would be fine. "He'll be fine. He's coming back, and he's going to see how fast I am."

Neji smiled, placated with my response, "Let's play hide and seek!" I exclaimed, successfully getting him off of the depressing topic of Asuma possibly not returning.

Neji grimaced, "Mayu, let's not. It's hot. Let's meditate in the shade."

I tilted my head, I hadn't exactly meditated before, "Umm Neji, it's a good idea, but can you teach me?"

Neji grinned gleefully, and began to instruct, "Okay. Follow me."

Neji calmly moved to cross his legs indian style and rested his palms outwards on his knees. His body was perfectly straight, all except his head that was calmly looking for me to follow his lead. Quickly I fixed myself to mirror his image.

My "teacher" analyzed my posture before adjusting my back to relax perfectly straight with the light push of his hand. "Good now close your eyes," he waited until I did so, "now relax, quiet your mind."

I tried very hard to "quiet" my mind, but questions kept buzzing in my head, the most prevalent being, '_how did a four year old have so much self-restraint as to meditate_?'

But soon enough, the questions started to fade, instead I focused on my breathing, I thought of nothing, concentrated on nothing, instead I just relaxed in the quiet state of my mind. Neji and I must have been there for hours as the early afternoon sun was gone when I opened my eyes, feeling a very small sense of clarity, only to find a slowly fading sunset.

I glanced to my left and couldn't help but smile at Neji, he was so calm and happy. The sunset was a clue though to get moving, so I decided to mentally photography is zen moment and wake him from his reveries.

"Neji, it's late," I stated almost guiltily, I knew we should be getting home but it felt wrong to interrupt such tranquility.

Immediately he opened his eyes and they were wide in shock, before looking to his right to gape at me. "We meditated for hours."

I giggled, "yup."

He shook his head, before bouncing up and giving me a hand, "We should meditate more." I quickly agreed, as I launched myself up into the air with his help. "C'mon, let's go home," he murmured, picking up our lunch boxes before together we trudged off.

* * *

The serenity achieved today was no match for my home. When I opened the door all composure that flowed through my veins left me. I found my mother wailing on the floor at the feet of my grim looking Uncle. Had it not been for the sobbing of my mother I would have smirked at Asuma and challenged him, but the sobriety of the situation was too much. I couldn't' tease my way out of my feelings, instead I succumbed to the waves of emotion and ran at Asuma, stopping only to latch onto his legs. Small tears fell as I knew that whatever this was, was bad.

Before I knew it Asuma had scooped me up, cradling me to his chest before walking in to my room and sitting on my bed, leaving me sitting in his lap sniffling. He patted my head before shushing me softly.

"What's this, are you getting soft?" Asuma attempted to tease, but I wasn't having it.

"What's going on?" I replied, wanting to quickly learn the truth, much like ripping off a bandage.

"Well kid, I don't know how to say it but I'm leaving the Village. You see, I've been given a promotion of sorts, to be an elite ninja for the Daimyo." He loosely explained.

I just pushed myself closer to him and wrapped my arms around his neck, wanting to relish his company while I could. Who knew when the next time I would see him would be.

After a few minutes of snuggling, that Asuma surprisingly hadn't complained at, I was dry of tears. Still attached to his neck I decided to speak, "Will you ever come back?"

Asuma chuckled before looking down at me, "Tsk. I have to, eventually I'm going to come back and getting that sparring match you promised me."

I smiled, "You're going to be the best elite ninja, that is until I become one" I ended with a grin, hoping that if I smiled I would feel better.

Asuma only laughed at me. "You haven't been slacking while I've been gone have you?"

"Nope," I shook my head, "I've ran every single day, I even started meditating."

Asuma tapped my nose gently, "You're going to be great, just keep training, you have to live up to your promise to beat me."

I just burrowed myself deeper into his chest, knowing I wouldn't be here for a while.

Asuma unlatched me after a few minutes, somberly placing me on the ground next to my bed. "Be good, kid."

He started to walk off before I ran and wrapped myself around his legs once more in a hug, "I love you, Uncle."

Asuma gently patted my head as I dislodged myself, "I love you too, brat."


End file.
